Joint for artificial limbs



Feb. lo. 1925. 1,525,705

' W. H. WAMBSGANS JOINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIMBS Filed July 26 1922 In van zz" W. h. Wamggm, I

Eig/lf fil/"TY,

Patented Feb. l0, 1925.

,j UNITED STATES WILLIAM H. WAMBSGANS, Oli PEGBJIA, l,[lLlliINllS.

JQINT FOR ARTIFICIAL LIlJIBS.

Application filed July 267` To all when?, it may concern Be it known that I, lViLLIAM Il. "Wenns- GAns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Joints for Artificial Limbs', and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'Ihis invention has reference to a joint for articial limbs and particularly to an ankle joint therefor.

The object of the invention is to provide a forni of joint construction that will be exceedingly rigid, of few parte, strong and durable, and so organized that there will be a minimum of wear and consequently a joint of exceedingly long life.

A nother object is to furnish a joint that will have no lost motion and therefore no undesirable looseness of action teven after protracted use. j

In the past, joint structures for artificial limbs have consisted of a considerable numher of parts thatafter a short time become too easily loosened, due to wear, resulting in much. annoyance to the user, and it is my purpose to provide a very simple type of joint of few parts that due to their form and arrangement can be easily and quickly sembled, will be noiseless and that will have practically no wear even after very long h ard usage.

To the end that the invention may be readily undcrsood I have provided the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure l is a side elevation of my invention much enlarged showing part broken away to show interior structures:

Figure 2 is an elevation of the same showino` a part thereof in transverse section, and

ligure 3 is a side elevation of a portion of a grooved body portion ofthe joint shown in the preceding figures.

Broadly considered, my joint comprises a main body or shaft: portion l into which is threaded a pair of spaced pins 2 common to joints of this type for carrying a leg portion, not shown, and a sleeve 3 enclosing the main body or shaft portion and located between the said pins, said sleeve having an extension or pin 4c for connection with the usual foot portion, not shown.

The said main body or shaft portion l is 1922. Serial No. 577,533.

preferably of hardened steel and at substautially the middle of its length it is reduced in diameter, or grooved, to create a neck-portion 5 of less diameter, the groove receiving into it a series of hardened rollers G as clearly illustrated in Figures l and 2.

Said rollers are of such diameter that they project beyond the cylindrical surface of the body 1 and when all are placed in the groove., receive upon them, and are enclosed by the Said sleeve 3, the bore of the latter being of such diameter only as to just slip over the rollers thus assembled, the assembly being clearly shown in Figure 2 wherein the portion 5 is shown in transverse section.

The shoulders at each side of the neckH portion 5 created by providing the groove prevent endwise movement of the rollers` no further aid being required.

One of the pins 2 being in place the parts are assembled as described` whereupon by screwing the other pin into place the sleeve 3 is retained in position upon the roller, completing the assembly.

The groove is of considerable width and therefore the rollers can be of much length or nearl"Y equal in extent thereto. dnd the extent of the groove and 'the length of said rollers can be substantially the distance between the pins 2 whatever that distance may be. The large extent of roller surface provided, and the fact that the here of the sleeve 3 can be equal in measurement to the length of said rollers, extensive bearing surfaces are provided with a. minimum of wear.

The device is extremely rigid and strong because ofthe bearings provided, and no ictaining means are required other than the pins 2 for the sleeve, said pins serving` in this capacity in addition to their principal office.

In order to lighten the structure excess Weight may be removed by boring out the body portion l as shown.

I claim:

An ankle joint for artificial limbs comprising in combination a one piece shaft having intermediate its ends a peripheral groove, a series of rollers seated in said groove, the shoulders forming the side walls of the groove retaining the rollers in position, a sleeve having a straight bore substantially equal in diameter to the combined reduced diameter of the shaft in said groove and the seated rollers adapted when the latter are seated in said groove to be slipped over and upon them, there being a stein 'extendingr tachetl to the shaft 4after the rollers and from the sleeve for attachment to a part of Sleeve have been assembled on said shaft W an artificial limb, and a separate portion se- In testimony whereof I affix my signature cured in the shaft at each side of the groove in presence of two Witnesses.

'if and the sleeve for holding,` the said sleeve in NVILLIAM H. VVAMBSGANS.

place upon the rollers and adapted 'for at- 7i-messes: tachment to another part of the limb, one of J. H. KINGSBURY,

the last named portions adapted to be at- MAX W. Ross. 

